A viral post circulating on social media has claimed that men in Pakistan could face heavy fines for sending even a simple “good morning” message to women. However, officials from the Federal Ombudsperson Secretariat for Protection Against Harassment have clarified that this claim is false and misleading.

According to Waqar Ahmed, assistant director legal at the secretariat, there is no law or official order that imposes fines for casual greetings like “good morning.” He emphasized that penalties apply only in cases where repeated or unwanted communication may constitute harassment.

Mohsin Sheikh, a law officer at the secretariat, further explained that the legal framework examines allegations of harassment on a case-by-case basis. “A single message such as ‘good morning’ is ordinarily considered neutral and non-harassing,” he said. “However, if such messages are sent repeatedly, in inappropriate contexts, alongside other unwelcome advances, or form part of a pattern creating a hostile environment, they may be examined under the law.”

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Yumna Jamil, communication officer at the secretariat, also clarified via messages that sending a simple greeting is not a crime. “Merely sending a simple ‘good morning’ message to a woman or a girl is not punishable under law,” she said. “Legal action is taken only if messages are sent persistently, against the recipient’s will, and a formal complaint is filed.”

The clarification comes after the misleading posts spread widely across platforms such as Facebook and Instagram, creating unnecessary confusion and fear among social media users. The secretariat urged the public to verify information before sharing it online and to understand the difference between casual communication and harassment under the law.

Verdict: Casual messages like “good morning” are not punishable. Legal action and penalties apply only to repeated, unwanted messages that may amount to harassment, as determined on a case-by-case basis following proper legal procedures.